Elevator system.



E. L. DUNN.

ELEVATOR SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. I9o9.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVIARD L. DUNN, 0F XVORCESTF'R, MASS CHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, MESNE ASSIGN- IVIENTS, TO STANDRD PLUNGER ELE VATGR COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEVATOR SYSTEM.

Application filed August 7', 19GB.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD L. DUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/vorcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain neuT and useful Improvements in Elevator Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to automatic elevator systems and has particular reference to automatic signaling systems for dumb- Walters or elevators, wherein the car can be sent to any predetermined floor and automatically stopped when the floor is reached.

lhere a duinbyvaiter or elevator system has a considerable number of stops to make and a long run, necessitating several cars, it has been found that more satisfactory operating results can be obtained Where the machines are all controlled by a single operator. In order to enable the operator to control one or more cars at the greatest efficiency, it is desirable to provide a signaling system, and such signaling system should embody means whereby delays, not only at the operating station, but at the floors, may be avoided; and also a system not required to be manually controlled.

In carrying out the invention, I have provided an automatic signaling system for such elevator systems wherein the operator can be signaled from any station when a car desired for use, who'vfill thereupon send a car to that floor. The arrival of the car at the floor will be indicated to the operator ane also to the attendant on the floor, and when the attendant is through with the car, and indication of such fact will be made to the operator so that he can send the car to the next station, or back to a central distributing station. I have provided herein such a signaling system in combination With an automatic elevator wherein at the op-v erating station is provided an indicator for each car showing the progress of the various cars from floor to floor. an annunciator showing the floors at which the car is desired. an audible signal in addition` to the visual annunciator ,or attracting the attention of the operator; and at the respective Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

serial No. 511,680.

stations, signals, preferably audible, for

notifying the attendant of the arrival of the car, the Whole being arranged to be Vautomatically controlled by the opening and closing of the Well-room doors so that the operator need pay no attention to the re-setting of the signals, but simply to the signals themselves, and Will at all times know just Where each car is. The doors themselves, may be unlocked automatically by the stopping of the car, so that the system will become more completely automatic. .By such a system, delays at the floors and the operating station will be very much reduced, and a greater eilicien'cy of the Whole installation obtained, as the operator ivill always lnoiv the condition of each car, and have nothing to do with restoring the annunciator or signals.

Theinvention, with respect to one form thereof, is shown in the accompanying diagram. ivherein is shown an automatic signaling system for tivo machines having each three stops, the motor circuits being omitted for the sake of clearness, and also the control for one machine.

D1, U1 and D2, U2, represent the main sivitch dorvn and up solenoids of tivo machines which will be hereinafter referred to as No. l machine and No. 2 machine respectively, and I will first briefly describe the starting and stopping system fo'` No. l machine, that for No. machine, and as many others as may be desired. being similar, but omitted for the sake of cleainess.

S1, S2 represent starting switches for the tivo machines, located preferably at a control station distant from the cars and the floors to which the cars run. and also at this control station are located signals for attracting the attention of the operator Ywhen car is desired by the attendant at any tloor, and signals for at all times indicating to the operator the locations of the various cars, and their condition, Whether in service,

or ready for service.

T1 represents a main line switch, from which a ivire H leads to up and down tuto matics la and M. From automatic a Wire H3 leads to a movable contact H", operated vator may be properly operated.

by the switch arm P to close circuit at H5, thence wire to down direction magnet K1, thence to negative side of switch T1. The switch H4 is only momentarily closed, being opened automatically by means not necessary to be described herein, but the energization of magnet K1, closes contacts JS and thereby'energizes main switch magnet D1, closing the main motor circuit and starting the car downward. In similar manner, the up magnet K is controlled by a switch H4 and contact HG to send the car up, it being understood that one or the other of these switches is closed whenever the pointer P is moved. In order to stop the car at the predetermined iloor, an arm O traveling with the car completes a stop circuit :trom .a contact N (closed whenever' the main switch is closed) through one or the other or" wires, R, R1, R2, to corresponding contacts controlled by the starting switch P, and bridged by the switch to negative side of line through resistance Y. When this circuit is closed, the magnets are short circuited, thereby opening the main switch and stopping the machine. lt will be seen that the switches J1, J8, close maintaining circuits, which hold the magnets energized, after the switches Ht have opened. Also in a circuit to be controlled simultaneously with the magnets may be placed a door unlocking magnet Q to unlock the door and permit it to be opened by the attendant when the car has reached that floor, as shown in my Patent No. 987,673, dated March 2l, 1911. Or other means will be provided for unlocking the door at which the car is to stop. This is desirable, in order that the signals for the attendant and oper- By the combination of door unlocking means controlled by the stopping of the car,.and the signal releasing devices controlled bv the door, the system both as to signals and control will be entirely automatic, and the operator will at all times know accurately, the condition of the system, and of each car.

F1, F 2, Fg represent door switches for machine No. 1, and F4, F 5, FG corresponding door switches for machine No. 2.

X1 is a switch Vwhich opens as the main switch solenoid D1 is energized, Vand X2 a corresponding switch which operates in the same manner at machine No. 2 when solenoid D2 is energized..

sponding sets of contacts 1,'2, 3, G2, Y1, Y2, YS, G4, G6, J4, J5, JG, for machine lTo. 2, and there will be as many similar sets of commutators and brushes as there are machines.

T is a line switch adaptedfto be connected with a source ot low voltage current, and from the positive terminal of switch T a wire YY1 supplies current to the contacts G1, G2, etc. From G1 a jumper on the brush E1 conducts the current to the contacts l, 2, 8, and thence the current passes through wires W2 to .an indicator I for machine No. l, and thence by return wire W73 to the negative side of switch T. The indicator I preferably comprises a series of lashlights, one for each floor, which will be lighted one after another as the brush E1 travels over the contacts l, 2, 3. For machine No. 2, a similar indicator T2 supplied by wires W4 acts in the same manner. In the position shown, car No. l, is at the first floor, and car No. 2 at the second floor.

Tt is desirable to provide an audible signal to attract the attention of the operator to the annunciator signal, and I will now describe the annunciator circuits and then the audible signal circuits. From the positive side of switch T, wire TV5 is connected to a bell or buzzer B located at or adjacent the operating station and starting switch, and from the bell B, wire WT leads to a series of lioor push buttons P1, P2, P3. One of these buttons will be at each iioor in a system where the cars are used to carry material from a central distributing station to the several Viioors, or from these several floors back to the central station, or where cars run light in either direction between the central station and the respective floors. vWhere it is desired to call a car to one iioor to receive a load to be taken to another` floor, without sending the car back to the central station, a complete set of buttons may be installed at each floor, so that the operator, when at floor 2, having received car No. 2, may load it and then by pressing button No. 3, signal the operator to send this car to floor No. 3. It has been found in practice,

' however, with dumbwaiter systems such as this invention is particularly adapted Jfor, that greater eiiciency is obtained by operating the cars from a central station, since in hotels, for instance, time is saved by sending different cars to diiferent floors, rather than having one car stop at a number of different floors to pick up or leave material. Tn most instances, therefore, it will only be necessary to have a single button at each floor. The circuit of push button P1, for instance, leads by wire N7 to a lighting magnet B1, and thence by wire Wvg to the negative side of switch T. The circuit of push button P2 similarly leads to a lighting magriet B2 to wir@ W8, and l1 to lighting ruegnet B3, there being as many magnets B1, etc., as there are floors. Upon magnet B3 being energized, its armature closes a circuit from wire vW1 to contacts X3, X1, to wire 73, and thence across contacts X5, X6 to wire W7, so that magnet B3 will remain energized, even after the push button circuit has been opened, as it is only momentarily held closed. The opening of the push button circuit, does however, release the bell or buzzer. At the same time that the holding circuit of magnet B3 is closed at contacts X3 and X1, current is supplied to wire 715 and thence to the light 3 of the annunciator A, the remainder of the circuit being through wire W3 to the negative side of switch T. It thus appears that upon the momentary closing of a push button one or the other oi' magnets B1, etc., is energized and a correspondingl indication made at the annunciator A, from which the operator knows that a car is desired at that floor. At the same time the alarm B sounds, as will be understood, since the alarm is at tirst in series with the magnets B1, B2, etc., but a. single alarm and set of push buttons being required for any number of floors and machines. Assuming that the operators attention has been attracted by the bell and he has despatched No. l car to the third iioor, contacts X1 are closed, contacts X7 are opened by the closing of the main switch, and the brush E1 is moving toward No. 3 to ccntacts J 3, H3. As contact H2 is engaged the licor bell does not ring, owing to the open circuit at contacts X7, but as the machine stops at the third floor, the bell BG is in circuit frorn positive side of switch T through wire 75 to bell BG, to wire Vim, to contacts H3, G3 by a jumper on blade E1, wire 11.711 to contacts X7, X9 which are now closed by the opening` of the main switch, wire W3 to the negative side of switch T. lVhen the contacts X1 were closed by the closing of the main switch in either direction, the controlling magnet A1 was energized, its circuit being through contacts X1 and wire 712, resistance R to negative side of switch T1. As contacts X1 open and the machine stops, the magnet A1 is not cleenergized, as it receives current through the door switches F1. F2, F3 and magnet switch contacts X111 controlled by the magnet A1. The floor bell B, therefore continues ringing until the door switch circuit is opened, which denergizes the magnet A1 and opens the bell circuit at contact X3. vWhen the door is closed again, the bell does not ring as the magnet A1 can only receive starting current through contacts X1, which remain open until. the main switch closes, but the annunciator light is automatically extinguished by the closing o1 the door as tollows: As the contacts X11 are now connected. the high voltage current passes from positive side of switch T1 through door switches F1, F2, F3, contacts X11 and wire 1 17, thence to magnet A2, and resistance R to the negative side or' the line. This energizes the magnet A2 and closes contacts X13, X11, making a circuit momentarily through eX- tinguishing magnet C3, fdcnergizing the lighting magnet B3, thereby opening the annunciator circuit. It will therefore be seen that the annunciator circuit is not aiiected by the stopping, and that the light remains lighted while thc door is open, thus notifying the operator that the door is open at the floor where the car is stopped only, and as soon as the door is closed the extinguished light showsthat the machine can now be operated safely. The circuit of extinguishing magnet C3 extends from positive side or' switch T through wire 1171, contacts X3, X1. wire 1V, extinguishing magnet C3, wire 713, contacts J3, G5, wire 11711, controlling magnet contacts X13. X11. wire 73. to the negative side of switch T.

When the extinguishing magnet C3 is energized the circuit of lighting magnet B3 is opened at contacts X5, X, and the lighting magnet B3 thus opens the circuit of extinguishing magnet C3 at contacts X3, X1, as well as the annunciator light circuit. Controlling magnet A2 remains in circuit while the machine is at rest, but when the machine starts, it is denergized by the opening of contacts X11. It will therefore be seen that the magnet A1 sets the floorbell circuit to be completed at the proper floor by the brush E1 bridging contacts H1, H2 or H3 and contacts G3, and that this circuit is opened by the opening of the door, but that the annunciator circuit at the operators station remains in condition to give an indication not only while the machine is at rest with the door closed, but while the door is open, being only extinguished when the door is closed after having once been opened. The other circuits for different loors and difterent machines will be the same as those just described, and particular reference and eX- planation need not be made thereto. In the event of two cars arriving at the same floor simultaneously, the bell at that Hoor would ring until both the doors were opened, as the signal machines are cross-connected.

It is thought that the advantages of the system will be fully understood from the foregoing description, wherein it will be seen that the system is completely automatic in operation after the floor push buttons have been operated. lVhile bells have been shown at the various floors to notify the attendants of the arrival of the cars, in many instances pilot lights may be shown where the noise of bells and buzzers would be objectionable. Such a system has a number of advantages, of which the principal one is that the attendants are automatically notilied that a car is waiting, and the operator is likewise automatically notilied when the attendant is through with the car, while at the same time the annunciator is restored. Thus the operator does not have to give attention to the annunciator, as each individual car takes care of its own annunciator, and there is no loss of time at the floors or at the operating station.

Having thus described my invention, whatV I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination in an elevator` system, of means for starting the car and automatically stopping it at a predetermined loor, a visual call signal for indicating the destination or" the car, a signal at the floor for automatically indicating the arrival of the car at said floor, a well door, means whereby the opening of the door releases said floor signal, and means whereby the closing of said door releases said call signal. Y

2. The combination in an elevator system, of means for starting and automatically stopping the car at a predetermined floor from a distant point,and flashlight means for indicating automatically to the operator the location of the car at all times.

3. The combination in an elevator system, of means for starting and automatically stopping the car at a predetermined floor from a distant point, means for indicating at the door the arrival of the car, and means automatically indicating at the controlling point the location of the car at all times.

l.' rlhe combination in an elevator system, of means for starting and automatically stopping the car from a distant point, flashlight means adjacent the starting means for indicating the location of the car, a flashlight signal corresponding vto each Adoor adjacent the starting means, means for operating said signals, and means whereby the door attendant causes said signals corresponding to his Hoor to be canceled.

5. The combination in an elevator system, of means for controlling the car from a distance, a call signal for indicating to the operator at the control station the desired destination of the car, and means whereby the call signal is restored independently of the operator.

6. The combination in an elevator system, of'means forcontrolling the car from a distance, a visual call signal adjacent said controlling means :tor indicating'to the operator at the control station the desired destination of the car, and means whereby the call signal is automatically restored only after the car has stopped at the predetermined floor.

7. rEhe combination in an elevator Vsystem, oi means for controlling the car from a distance, a call signal adjacent saidcontrolling means forindicating tothe operator the ,desired destination @.3 the ear, means.

tissues for indicating at the floor the arrival of the car, and means controlled by the well door i'or releasing both signals.

8. The combination in an elevator system,

with a plurality of cars, of means for controlling said cars from a distance, a single call signal corresponding to each floor adjacent said controlling means for indicating to the operator the desired destination of a car, and means whereby said signal is released upon the arrival of one of said cars at said floor.

9. The combination in an elevator system, with a plurality or' cars, of means for controlling said cars from a distance, a single call signal corresponding to each floor located adjacent said controlling means for indicating the desired destination of a car, a signal for each car to indicate at the floor the arrival of the car, means for releasing the arrival signal upon opening the well door, and means for releasing the call signal upon closing the well door.

10. The combination in an elevator system, oi means for controlling the elevator car from a distance, a push button controlled call signal adjacent the controlling means, and a second call signal adjacent the controlling means controlled by said push button.

l1. The combination in an elevator system, of means for controlling the elevatorV car from a distance, a plurality of call signals adjacent said controlling means, a push button circuitl for operating both signals, and means whereby the release orp one call signal is controlled by the stopping of the car.

l2. The combination in an elevator system,` of means for controlling the elevator car from a distance, an audible signal adjacent the starting means, a visual signal corresponding to the lloor to which the car is to be sent. means for actuating both signals, means for releasing the audible signal, and means controlled by the stopping of the car for releasing theV visual signal.

13. The combination in a multiple elevator system, of means for controlling the elevator cars from distance. a signal adjacent the starting means and adapted to be energized from any floor. a set of signals corresponding to each Hoor also adjacent the starting means, means for energizing said signals. means ior releasing said first signal, and means controlled by the stopping of the car for releasing said floor signal.

14. The combination in a multiple elevator system. of means for controlling the car from a distance. a signal adjacent the starting means adapted to be energized from any floor. a set oi signals corresponding to each floor adjacent said starting means. means for energizing said signals. signal atthe floor.ndcatnatlie arrlvalrof tlggpan means for releasing said first signal, and means controlled by the stopping of the car for releasing said other signals.

15. The combination in a multiple elevator system, of means for controlling the car from a distance, a signal adjacent the starting means adapted to be energized from any Hoor, a set of signals corresponding to each ioor adjacent said starting means, means for energizing said signals, a signal at the floor indicating the arrival of the car7 means for releasing said lirst signal, means for releasing said floor signal upon the opening of a well door, and means for releasing said second signal upon the closing of the well door.

16. The combination in an elevator system, of manual means located at one of the floors for starting the car and stopping it automatically at a predetermined floor, an indicator adjacent said controlling means for indicating at all times the position of the car, a call annunciator adjacent said starting means having signals corresponding to the several floors, together with push buttons at the several floors for energizing the respective signals to indicate the desired destination of the car, and means for automatically restoring said annunciator when the car reaches the corresponding floor.

17. The combination in an elevator system, of means located at one or' the floors for starting the car and automatically stopping it at a predetermined iioor, an annunciator adjacent said controlling means having signals corresponding to the respective floors, switches at said respective floos and Circuits connected to said signals for indicating the desired destination of the car, a signal at the Hoor for automatically indi eating the arrival of the car, means controlled by an attendant at the floor whereby said arrival signal is released upon opening of the well door, and means whereby said call signal at the control station is restored upon closing of the door.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD L. DUNN.

litnesses J. RALPH GARBUTT, C. FoRnnsT lVnssoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

